{"id":4095,"date":"2026-03-06T04:45:54","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T04:45:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/?p=4095"},"modified":"2026-03-06T04:53:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T04:53:12","slug":"international-womens-day-eight-actions-for-a-more-equal-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/international-womens-day-eight-actions-for-a-more-equal-world\/","title":{"rendered":"International Women\u2019s Day: Eight Actions for A More Equal World"},"content":{"rendered":"

Opinion piece by the UN Secretary-General, Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, March 8, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over nearly a decade leading the United Nations<\/a>, I have seen our world repeatedly tested \u2013 by climate shocks, deepening poverty, violent conflict and shrinking civic space.<\/p>\n

But I have also watched many solutions take root, and they shared one common denominator: women.<\/p>\n

As the world marks International Women\u2019s Day, it is time to recognize that gender inequality is the greatest human rights challenge of our time \u2013 and advancing equality is one of the strongest drivers of sustainable development and peace.<\/p>\n

Here are 8 actions drawn from my own experience, and inspired by the work of the UN system and civil society movements across the globe, to advance women\u2019s rights and deliver results:<\/p>\n

1. Fix the Power Gap<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gender equality is a question of power. But male-dominated institutions still shape our world. A rising tide of authoritarianism is deepening these inequalities, rolling back hard-won protections \u2013 from fair work practices to reproductive rights \u2013 and entrenching racial and gender biases that hold women back. Gender equality lifts societies. When power is shared, freedom expands.<\/p>\n

2. Make Parity a Priority<\/strong><\/p>\n

Women are grossly under-represented in governments and boardrooms across the globe. At the United Nations, we set out to make gender parity a priority, starting with senior leadership. We did this by widening the search for qualified candidates, not by lowering standards. The UN is stronger for it, with an enhanced workplace culture and more inclusive decision-making. The lesson is clear. When institutions choose equality, results follow.<\/p>\n

3. Bet on the Highest-Return Investment<\/strong><\/p>\n

Investment in women delivers outsized returns. Every dollar spent on girls\u2019 education yields nearly triple the gains, while maternal health and family planning generate more than eightfold benefits. Policies that support families such as child care and elder care strengthen communities and unlock even more growth. Taken together, such steps lay the foundation for closing gender gaps \u2013 which can boost national income by as much as 20%.<\/p>\n

4. Make Room at the Peace Table<\/strong><\/p>\n

Peace agreements are more durable when women take part in negotiating and implementing them. Yet in too many conflicts \u2013 including Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan \u2013 women have been largely shut out of the room, even though they carry the heaviest burdens of war. At a time of rising instability, inclusion is not symbolic \u2013 it is a shortcut to stabilize our fractured world.<\/p>\n

5. End Legal Discrimination<\/strong><\/p>\n

Worldwide, women hold only 64 per cent of the legal rights enjoyed by men. In too many places, they cannot own property, work freely, or seek a divorce. Even where protections exist, women face higher barriers to access legal aid or the courts. Every country must commit to dismantling discriminatory laws, and to enforcing rights in practice.<\/p>\n

6. Zero Tolerance for Gender-Based Violence \u2013 and Zero Excuses<\/strong><\/p>\n

Violence against women is a global emergency, rooted in inequality and sustained by silence. Every woman and girl has the right to live free from fear. Yet gender-based violence \u2013 including sexual exploitation and abuse \u2013 remains a horrific breach of trust and humanity. We must confront it everywhere, with zero tolerance, full accountability, and unwavering support for survivors.<\/p>\n

7. Code Out Bias<\/strong><\/p>\n

With women comprising just one in four tech workers, bias is being hardwired into the systems that shape daily lives. Meanwhile, misogyny is exploding online. Technology companies and governments must act together to build safe, inclusive digital spaces \u2013 and the world must do more to remove barriers for girls in science and technology.<\/p>\n

8. Put Gender in the Climate Plan<\/strong><\/p>\n

Climate change is sexist. Women often eat last in food crises and endure greater danger in emergencies. Girls face higher risks of child marriage when livelihoods collapse. But women are also leading climate solutions \u2013 advancing green legislation, powering global movements, and driving change on the ground. A liveable planet demands gender-responsive climate policies, including equal access to green jobs, better protection in emergencies, and full participation in environmental decision-making.<\/p>\n

Across the globe, I have seen these eight solutions in action \u2013 in war zones and recovery efforts, parliaments and classrooms, organizations and communities.<\/p>\n

If leaders get serious about gender equality and commit to them now, we will change the world \u2013 for women and girls, and for us all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Opinion piece by the UN Secretary-General, Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, March 8, 2026 Over nearly a decade leading the United Nations, I have seen our world repeatedly tested \u2013 by climate shocks, deepening poverty, violent conflict and shrinking civic space. But I have also watched many solutions take root, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3259,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[89,207,197,208],"class_list":{"0":"post-4095","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-international-diplomacy","8":"tag-antonio-guterres","9":"tag-international-womens-day","10":"tag-secretary-general-of-the-united-nations","11":"tag-womens-rights"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4095","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4095"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4095\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4097,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4095\/revisions\/4097"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4095"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4095"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomatique.ma\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4095"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}